Audience: Psychographics

Media institutions are always looking for more detailed audience profiling – so they can target their product more successfully.

These include VALS (values, attitudes and lifestyles) or Mosaic consumer classification. They also use Psychographics.

Psychographics

Young and Rubicam invented a successful psychographic profile known as their 4Cs Marketing Model: Cross Cultural Consumer Characterisation. They suggested people fit into one of seven groups:

Resigned
Rigid, strict, authoritarian and chauvinist values, oriented to the past and to Resigned roles. Brand choice stresses safety, familiarity and economy. (Older)

Strugglers
Alienated, Struggler, disorganised - with few resources apart from physical/mechanical skills (e.g. car repair). Heavy consumers of alcohol, junk food and lotteries, also trainers. Brand choice involves impact and sensation.

Mainstreamers
Domestic, conformist, conventional, sentimental, passive, habitual. Part of the mass, favouring big and well-known value for money 'family' brands. Almost invariably the largest 4Cs group.

Aspirers
Materialistic, acquisitive, affiliative, oriented to extrinsics ... image, appearance, charisma, persona and fashion. Attractive packaging more important than quality of contents. (Younger, clerical/sales type occupation)

Succeeders
Strong goal orientation, confidence, work ethic, organisation ... support status quo, stability. Brand choice based on reward, prestige - the very best . Also attracted to 'caring' and protective brands ... stress relief. (Top management)

Explorers
Energy - autonomy, experience, challenge, new frontiers. Brand choice highlights difference, sensation, adventure, indulgence and instant effect - the first to try new brands. (Younger - student)

Reformers
Freedom from restriction, personal growth, social awareness, value for time, independent judgement, tolerance of complexity, anti-materialistic but intolerant of bad taste. Curious and enquiring, support growth of new product categories. Select brands for intrinsic quality, favouring natural simplicity, small is beautiful. (Higher Education)

Psychographics: pair presentations

In pairs, you are going to investigate one of Young and Rubicam’s Psychographic groups.

You need to put together a presentation in which you create an example couple for that particular psychographic group and suggest what their media consumption might involve.

Note: You need to publish the tasks on each of your blogs individually.

Structure

Who you are working with:

The psychographic group you are researching:

Introduce your example couple that represents your group:

Make up their names:


Where do they work/study?


What do they do in their spare time?


Now suggest their media consumption:

Print: What newspapers/magazines does your group read (if any)? Is this on paper or tablet? 


Broadcast: What TV programmes/channels do your group watch? Radio stations? TV package – Freeview or Sky? Films?


E-Media: What technology do they own? What websites do they visit (if any)?

Homework

1) Make sure your psychographics presentation is uploaded on your blog with all details of the couple and their media consumption (it needs to be on everybody's blog individually but can be a duplicate of your partner's post).

2) Take Young and Rubicam's test to see which Pyschographic group you belong to. Write the results on your blog post and whether you agree with it. Note: this link does not always work in school so try it at home if it doesn't load up correctly.

Due: Friday

Media Awards - Homework

First of all, make sure you attend as it's compulsory! If you don't have a ticket yet then see Mr Halsey asap as we've held back a number of £5 tickets (sorry, the cheaper ones have all gone!) for Y12 Media students so there are no excuses!

Then, watch the films carefully on the night, thinking about them from the perspective of what you've learned over the last half term - use the Y12 Videos 2015 YouTube playlist to remind you of their features...

• Choose your two favourite Y12 productions;

• Create a blog entry - on your MEST2 blog - in which you say what you think the best production was and why...

• Write a detailed review for each of your two favourites making sure you comment on:
• Film Language - mise-en-scene, cinematography, sound, editing;
• MCCAT - Media language (again), Conventions, Creativity, Attention to detail, Technical Proficieny...These are the key criteria by which an A Level production is judged.
• Remember to include as much media terminology as possible (and highlight it).

• Produce a 200+ word summary entitled: "What Makes A Good Practical Production" (the speech you hear by a Y13 student will help with this).

Deadline - first lesson after half term.

Film Language: Editing

Editing is the last aspect of our Film Language unit - we'll be starting coursework after half-term. Two things to work on first:

Homework: important!

You will have a Film Language test in the last week before half-term. 

Your homework, therefore, is to revise EVERYTHING you've learned in your first half term with both your teachers - film language and the MIGRAIN key concepts. 

You need to be ready to take the test next week!

Editing notes

Key terminology for editing:

• Transitions
• Continuity editing
• Montage
• Pace
• Juxtaposition

Transitions

• A straight cut is the most common method and the audience are so accustomed to seeing these that we rarely notice them when they occur.
• A fade out – the screen fades to black.
• A dissolve - one image blurs into the next.
• A wipe – one part of the screen wipes across the other.
• A jump cut – an unexpected edit where the audience’s attention is forced to focus on something very suddenly.  

Continuity editing

Most editing of narrative film is continuity editing.  This is when shots are placed logically so that one event follows on from the next.  We, as the audience, automatically try to make sense of one shot joining the next one.  For example, if we see an exterior shot of a school and the following shot is a classroom, we assume that the classroom is inside the school building we saw in the previous shot.  

Montage

A montage sequence involves shots being placed next to each other that do not necessarily convey a linear narrative.  Instead, the shots tend to convey a message, provide an overall impression or shorten a story that takes place over a much longer period time.  For example, a sequence that included consecutive shots of a school building, classrooms, students playing football and teachers in the staffroom may be aiming to give an overall impression of school life.    

Pace

The speed at which the film cuts from one shot to the next makes a huge difference to the experience for the audience.

Generally, slow cuts build tension while fast cuts suggest action and excitement.


Juxtaposition
The word juxtaposition literally means ‘the act of placing together side by side’.

In film, two shots may be placed together to create meaning for the audience. E.g. A shot of the hero may be followed by a shot of his love interest to link these in the audience’s mind. This may also take the form of an eyeline match where a character looks in a certain direction and the next shot cuts to whatever they are looking at.

Editing task

There are some truly fantastic clips for the Editing part of the Film Language unit but we won't watch them all in one lesson. 

Your blog task is to find a film clip on YouTube that you feel has been edited in a distinctive way and write a 750 word analysis of the clip.

Use as much media language as you can - and remember to highlight it. Try and use the key words we've learned for editing and any other aspects of film language you can apply.

If you're not sure what clip to pick, you will find plenty of lists online if you search for 'great film editing sequences' or similar. One example that comes up when you do this is something like the shootout scene from Michael Mann's Heat (3mins - 6mins particularly, but it's all brilliant):

Narrative

There are three key narrative theories we need to learn as part of AS Media. The notes as a reminder:

Narrative patterns

Linear Pattern: progresses forward towards a resolution - Beginning, Middle and End.

Multi-strand Narrative: popular in broadcast TV (e.g. soaps) and film. Involves more than one narrative running parallel involving different characters and locations.

Documentary narrative: this may revolve round a central theme (e.g. troublesome neighbours) or group of people.

Long-running TV series such as Breaking Bad or The Wire have one major narrative and lots of mini-narratives. The major narrative runs over the series, the mini narrative may be resolved within an episode.

Narrative theories

When studying narrative in Media, we need to be able to identify what the story is and how it is being told. There are three key theories we need to learn and apply:

Enigma and Action Codes - Roland Barthes

Barthes suggested that stories have certain codes that audiences understand and respond to.

ENIGMA codes: control how much we know and help hold our interest. It creates mystery during the narrative.

ACTION codes: events or actions in the story that are important in developing the narrative, e.g. a gun being cocked signifies that a violent scene will follow.

Todorov: equilibrium

Tzvetan Todorov proposed a theory of equilibrium:

Equilibrium: An existing state of harmony

Disequilibrium: Equilibrium is disrupted by an unfortunate event or evil character which leads to a chain of events involving conflict

New Equilibrium: The evil forces are defeated, the conflict is resolved and harmony exists once more

Character theory: Propp

Vladimir Propp came up with a list of stock characters in narratives by examining Russian fairytales. He called them the seven spheres of action:

The Villain: Creates a complication in the narrative

The Donor: Gives the hero something that will help in the resolution

The Helper: Helps the hero in restoring the resolution

The Princess: Has to be saved by the hero

The Dispatcher: Sends the hero on a task

The Hero: Central protagonist, saves the day and restores equilibrium

The False Hero: Rare character that appears to be good but is revealed to have been bad all along

Narrative blog task

1) Choose three clips from YouTube and embed them in your blog - one from film, one from TV and one of your choice.

2) For EACH clip, apply the three narrative theories: Barthes' action and enigma codes; Todorov's equilibrium; Propp's stock characters. Make specific reference to aspects of the clip (as you would in a film language analysis). Remember to highlight media language.

12C: Mr Halsey blog feedback

I've now had a chance to have a proper look at your blogs - and there is some brilliant work! 

It's so important to make a strong start to Year 12 because the year passes in a flash and the key skills of organisation and managing workload are particularly crucial in Media.

Your feedback is contained in this document - scroll through to find your own individual comments.

Your learner response task is as follows:

1) Create a blogpost called 'Blog feedback learner response'

2) Copy and paste your feedback into the blogpost

3) Complete the learner response task

Note: if you are missing any pieces of work your learner response is also to complete those. When they are done, update this learner response post with links to the missing work.

Institution: CoolBrands research

Our next key concept is Narrative - but I noticed a website that fits perfectly with the work we've been doing on Institution so we're going to do one more lesson on brands.

There is an organisation called CoolBrands who publish a list of the coolest brands in Britain every year. There is a paper version with the Observer newspaper and a website with details and videos/links. Unfortunately, the website is blocked in school - I don't know why.

Instead, visit this Independent newspaper Media feature on the CoolBrands research and look at the images for the top 20 brands. Then, complete the following tasks:

1) Choose five brands from the top 20 that YOU personally admire and explain what you like about them.

2) For each of those five brands, write a sentence/paragraph summing up their brand values. Remember: brand values are the words or qualities that the brand would like to be associated with. You may also wish to use Dyer's Lines of Appeal theory here.

3) Lastly, explain why you think those five brands made the list of the coolest brands in Britain. What is cool about them?

Complete for homework if you don't get it finished in the lesson.

Cinematography

We have watched some superb clips for cinematography, learning the importance of camera shots, angle and movement.

Your cinematography homework is as follows:

1) Find the opening sequence to a film of your choice on YouTube. 

2) Embed the video in a blogpost and write an analysis of the cinematography. 

3) Highlight your use of Media language and try to cover camera shots, angles and movement using the terminology we have learned in lessons.

This must be a minimum of 250 words but you may wish to write more than this.

Due: next week (day specified by your Film Language teacher)

Media Awards nominations 2015

We are proud to announce the Media Awards nominations for 2015!

A Level

Best Y12 Cinematography
Labrat (Tejas, Ammar & Leila)
Ransom (Kunal, Ahmed & Zubair)
Second Level South (Kishan & Kacper)

Best Y12 Sound Design
Conscience (Alison, Sarika, Serenna & Sophia K)
Clairvoyance (Shanara & Daine)
One Girl’s Story (Ashmita, Dhruvina & Sarese)

Best Y12 Production Design
Problematic (Izzah, Tina & Sophia Q)
Ransom (Kunal, Ahmed & Zubair)
Tribulations (Abdishakur, Blitz, Hussein & Shivum)

Best Y12 Dialogue/Voiceover
The Experiment (Rabia)
Second Level South (Kishan & Kacper)
In Mind (Lee, Luke, Ryan & Kirath)

Best Y12 Original Screenplay
Off The Corner (Mansour & Abdiasis)
The Experiment (Rabia)
Labrat (Tejas, Ammar & Leila)

Best Y12 Film Editing
Follow Me (Harmony, Samsam & Jasmine)
Tribulations (Abdishakur, Blitz, Hussein & Shivum)
Trace (Indera)


GCSE

Best GCSE Cinematography 
Chandelier – Sia - Imani
Everytime- Loreen - Amrit
It G Ma – Keith Ape - Abhisek
On My Way – Charlie Brown – Sylwia & Yasmin
Run Boy Run - Woodkid – Abdi, Mamduh & Mohammed A

Best GCSE Editing
Birthday Card – Example – Shivam
Major Lazer – Watch Out For This – Anjali, Brianna & Klea
Rap God – Eminem - Akash
SchoolboyQ – The Purge - Amar 
Stranger – Jhene Aiko - Era 

Best GCSE Music Video Concept
7/11 – Beyonce - Jaya
Hold On – Skepta – Danish
Recovery – James Arthur - Amina
These are the songs – Bashy - Daniel
Zombie – The Pretty Reckless - Sophie


Best Actor & Actress

Best Actor
Mr Artus - Mithras
Viraj Juneja - Copyrighter
Rahul Malik - Clairvoyance
Chandell Williams – Labrat

Best Actress
Shirin Alaa – The Experiment
Tyra Brown - Ransom
Devi Joshi - Clairvoyance
Emily Rhodes – Pocket dreams


Congratulations to ALL our Media students from last year – there were some incredibly difficult decisions, particularly with so many music videos to choose from at GCSE level.

The Media Awards takes place on Tuesday 20 October.

The theme is LAS VEGAS which means dressing to impress!

Tickets are £3 if you buy before Friday 16 October (£5 afterwards) and available from the Media department.

See you there!

Institution: Brand values

According to Gillian Dyer (Advertising as Communication, 1988) advertisers use, among other techniques, lines of appeal to create brand identities and attract their target audience.

Institutions use these images, references or suggestions to tap into our desires and make us ‘feel part’ of the brand. Dyer suggested lines of appeal could be classified into 13 groups:

• Happy families - everyone wants to belong 
• Rich, luxurious lifestyles - aspirational 
• Dreams and fantasy 
• Successful romance and love 
• Elite people or experts 
• Glamorous places 
• Successful careers 
• Art, culture & history
• Nature & the natural world 
• Beautiful women - men AND women like looking at beautiful women, so the thinking goes: men admire them, women admire what makes the men admire them. 
• Self-importance & pride 
• Comedy & humour 
• Childhood - can appeal to either nostalgia or to nurturing instincts 

Brand values task 100-10-1

Choose 5 brands. For EACH brand:

1) Sum up the brand values in 100 words, making reference to Dyer’s lines of appeal.

2) Distil the brand values into one sentence of no more than 10 words. 

3) Sum up the brand in ONE word.

Example: Starbucks

1) The Starbucks brand is clever because it comes across as a friendly, local-style company when it is in fact a massive global business. Its brand values would be about quality, lifestyle and a personal touch.  Starbucks could fit into several of Dyer’s lines of appeal: Happy families - everyone wants to belong, hence Starbucks asking your name when you order. It could also fit into Successful careers – Starbucks is for hard-working, successful people who want to enjoy life. Finally, Self-importance and pride links to Starbucks taking coffee seriously and its employees and customers having genuine passion for the brand. (100 words)

2) The Starbucks brand is about quality with a personal touch. (10 words)

3) Starbucks in one word: Passion.

Due: Friday (12C)

Extension task:

Research Innocent drinks

What brand values would you associate with Innocent? Why might their takeover by Coca Cola threaten those brand values?

Does your opinion of the brand change once you know they are owned by Coca Cola?